After what seemed like weeks of fair weather in New York, the skies were dark on Halloween, and it threatened to pour. Fortunately, the weather held long enough for the City’s trick-or-treaters to show off their costumes and collect their loot. Julia was a ghost this year, and had a ball scaring the residents of West Chelsea — and charming them out of some candy.
From the front, I admit her costume goes a little bridal –scarier to her parents than any spirit– but in motion I think we got the desired ghostly effect.
To make her costume, I sewed a full circle cape out of four and a half yards of white wool crepe and hemmed it short enough that she wouldn’t trip as she walked. (It needed to be shorter at the front because of the way it draped over her body.) I later added long slits at the sides to free her arms.
Over that, she wore a collar made of the same wool with some ghostly chiffon panels glued to the underside.
To complete the ensemble, I traced a hood from one of her coats to make a pattern for a long close-fitting crepe cap onto which I sewed a double veil of chiffon and tulle. Of course, this was the source of the bridal influence, but it was relatively comfortable, she could see well, and it actually stayed on all evening.
And I think the cape might find its way onto the shoulders of a snow queen or a white witch or an angel. The veil, I’m going to put away for a while.
